Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209) is considered the greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature. This publication is principally about the miniatures used to illustrate some of the key poems; they are quoted (in translation) but mainly 'described' by Binyon who provides details about the manuscript, Shah Tahmasp and his painters, painters in Persia, the life of Nizami and descriptions of each of the five poems. The illustrations present feature reproductions of important sixteenth-century artists, including: Mirak, Mirza Ali, Sultan Muhamad, Mir Sayyid Ali and Muzaffar Ali.

The full list of illustrations included are as follows:
- Page of decoration
- Page of decoration (fol. 153 of the MS)
- Nushirwan listening to the owls on the ruined palace. By Mirak.
- The complaint of the old woman to Sultan Sanjar.
- The Physicians' duel.
- The portrait of Khusru shown to Shirin by Sharpur. By Mirza Ali.
- Shirin bathing, seen by Khosru. By Sultan Muhammad.
- The return of Shapur to Khosru. By Sultan Muhammad.
- Khosru enthroned. By Mirak.
- Khosru and Shirin listening at night to stories told by Shirin's maids. By Mirak.
- Barbad playing music to Khosru. By Mirza Ali.
- Majnun in chains brought by an old beggar-woman to Laila's tent. By Mir Sayyid Ali.
- Majnun in the desert, among the wild animals. By Mirak.
- The ascent of the Prophet to heaven.
- Bahram hunting the lion.
- Bahram hunting the wild ass. by Muzaffar Ali.

First edition; 4to; sixteen colour plates, a little spotting to original preliminary and terminal blanks, otherwise near-fine, later binding of half-red morocco over marbled boards, top edge gilt, spine a little faded, otherwise very handsome.